Alliance Rotary Castle Run
The 12th annual Alliance Rotary Castle Run was held on Labor Day, September 4th, 2017. The Castle Run is a road running race begun in 2006 to be a fundraiser for the projects of the Rotary Club of Alliance. The race is held each year on Labor Day at Glamorgan Castle in Alliance next door to Alliance High School.
This year’s race raised over $7000 bringing our 12 year total to approximately $80,000. Money is raised through a combination of sponsor fees and participant entry fees. Sponsors, most of whom are members of the Rotary Club contribute money to the event in exchange for advertising opportunities at the event. Gold sponsors put in $1000, silver sponsors $500 and bronzed sponsors $250. Gold and silver level sponsors get their logo on the back of the race t-shirt given to all participants and race volunteers. All sponsors are recognized on any print materials such as race applications and posters along with mention in our online presence. Sponsors also have the opportunity to provide promotional giveaway items in the race bags given to participants.
The online presence includes a race signup site at www.runsignup.com along with our Alliance Rotary Castle Run Facebook and Instagram pages. These social media sites are updated throughout the year to keep the event fresh in the minds of the people who follow them. In addition to information about the race itself, posts are made about the various projects the Rotary Club is involved with.
Participants pay up to $30 for an entry fee depending on how early they sign up. Earlier registrations are rewarded with a lower entry fee. Occasionally coupon codes are advertised for discounted race entries to boost participation.
The race itself has four options. There is a 10k run, a 10k walk, a 2 mile run, and a 2 mile walk. Each of these options have both a male and female category. Awards are given for the top 3 males and females in each run and the top 3 males and females in each age group for the running races. The top male and female finisher in each age group of the walking races also receive an award. Fewer participants in the walking categories is the reason there aren’t as many awards for those.
The day of the event is a very positive atmosphere. A DJ plays upbeat music by the finish line / starting area and refreshments are available to the participants after their event. The refreshments are donated by local merchants and cookies are also donated by various members of the club.
Expenses for the event are many with the most significant one being the t-shirts given to each participant. The timing company and awards are also big expenses. Janitorial services, postage, printing costs and other minor expenses come into play.
Anywhere from 80 to 100 volunteers are needed each year to put on the event. These volunteers are recruited from the club members and families, the St. Thomas Aquinas cross country teams, the Alliance High School Allied Health classes, the Marlington High School Interact club, the local ham radio club as well as individual local citizens.
This year there were 306 participants in the event. This is down from a high of 555 in 2012. The drop-off in numbers is a nationwide phenomenon as running is still popular but racing is actually declining. Without sponsors, races would not be a viable fundraiser.
To summarize, the Castle Run is a very uplifting event which raises money for the Rotary Club with a healthy activity and at the same time showcases the best of Alliance to many people from out of town who otherwise would not know anything about our city.
